People Counting

2-11-13 timeforchangeBy Vicki J. Rosenberg
Former Director and Consultant, Transforming Michigan Philanthropy Through Diversity & Inclusion
Vicki Rosenberg & Associates

Pick any channel, any medium, any time of the day or night, and you’re bound to encounter joyous depictions or serious hand wringing about the “new” demographic of American communities. Think “Modern Family” or any analysis of the recent presidential election, and you get the picture.

The typical approach to the demographic shift is to count people — by race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical ability, or age. In 2001, the Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) started promoting a different approach.  It encouraged its members — 350 grantmaking organizations working together to strengthen, promote, and increase philanthropy in Michigan — to move beyond counting people to people counting. That year, CMF’s largely white Board of Trustees made a formal commitment to diversity based on its belief that “diversifying perspectives, talent and experience can help ensure philanthropy’s continued leadership in a rapidly changing society.”

While the demographics are certainly better than in 2001, the D5 Coalition State of the Work 2012 report of foundation demographics found that people of color make up only 10 to 17 percent of CEO and board leadership at foundations, and women constitute only 38 percent of trustees. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force estimates that LGBTQ individuals make up only 2 percent of foundation trustees. A CMF-commissioned study of the internal policies of 11 Michigan foundations found that most had formal written policies defining their visions of diversity and inclusion, yet few defined or monitored how or how well policies were implemented.

To understand how foundation boards can become more diverse and inclusive and why doing so matters, CMF and BoardSource co-hosted focus groups with diverse foundation trustees ranging in age from 35 to 75. Not one of them fit the typical foundation boardroom demographic in Michigan: White (80 percent), male (60 percent), and age 50 or older (66 percent.) Findings are reported in Diversity and Inclusion in the Foundation Boardroom: Voices of Diverse Trustees published by CMF in 2012 as part of its Transforming Michigan Foundations Through Diversity & Inclusion initiative.

What did we learn from these “outliers” about what it takes to build a diverse and inclusive board that adds value to achieving the foundations’ mission and goals?

Read the full post »

1 Comment
by BoardSource on February 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Development, Board Diversity and Inclusion, Board Policies, Board Recruitment and Orientation, Collaboration

Posted by BoardSource on February 11, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/02/11/people-counting/

MLK Day – A Perfect Time for Reflection

1-21-13-mlkBy Vernetta Walker, vice president of consulting, training, and assessments

On August 27, 1983, I marched with half a million people to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic March on Washington and to call for a national holiday. In November 1983, President Reagan signed the bill establishing the third Monday of every January as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Holiday.

Fast forward 30 years, and I’m proud to be working in a sector serving the diverse communities of America and giving voice to so many. We’ve come a long way, but there is still much work to be done. More nonprofit organizations are talking about the importance of diversity and inclusion, but, as a sector, we’re still struggling to develop inclusive boards. When we look at the racial makeup of nonprofit boards, they are still about 84 percent Caucasian — the same as 20 years ago — despite our country’s rapidly changing demographics. That’s why I was so pleased to learn of the work of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America’s Nationwide Leadership Council (NLC).

NLC participating agencies have committed to improve board diversity and inclusion, become champions of change in the network, and lead by example to show that board diversity and inclusion is doable and results in both short- and long-term benefits for agencies and the children they serve. NLC has developed “A Tactics Guide to Building a Diverse and Inclusive Board,” and they’re tracking progress. Just this week, NLC members came together to learn from their successes and challenges and to continue the conversation about what it means to be inclusive. Worth noting is that, collectively, NLC boards increased board member diversity by four percent in one year, and NLC board diversity is trending ahead of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters network by several percentage points.

As I reflect on the significance of MLK Day, I know the numbers matter, but I’m more excited about the shift within the sector to focus on inclusion. Diversity recognizes differences, but to be inclusive, we must respect, value, and make active use of differences, not just appreciate them. If we can truly move the dial on diversity and inclusion as a sector, we can accomplish great things together.

2 Comments
by vernettawalker on January 21, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Development, Board Diversity and Inclusion, Board Recruitment and Orientation

Posted by vernettawalker on January 21, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/01/21/mlk-day-a-perfect-time-for-reflection/

Meet January’s Board Member of the Month!

1-15-13 blog BMotMBy BoardSource

BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that Sherri Anne Green is the January 2013 Board Member of the Month. BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.

Sherri serves as the board president of DC Ad Club. Professionally, she is the director of business development at LM&O Advertising in Arlington, VA.

In nominating Sherri for the Board Member of the Month Award, Carol Montoya, president of Potomac Management Resources, the DC Ad Club’s association management company, noted the following:

“Sherri has served on our board for six years…and was recently elected to a third year as president, a testament to how much her leadership is valued. When Sherri became DC Ad Club president in 2010, she had a vision for the club, the advertising community, and the club’s role and impact within that community. She set a goal of getting our members more engaged and making their membership more valuable. During her tenure, the club has undertaken a rebranding initiative, launched a members-only mentor program, held its two most successful Advertising Week DC conference, increased membership by 20 percent, held more than 50 programs to educate and connect the community, and won 13 Club Achievement Awards from our parent organization.”

“In total, during her service, Sherri is credited with raising almost $140,000 in sponsorships, accounting for 29 percent of total sponsorship revenue.”

“Soon after taking office, in an open letter to our members, Sherri asked them to email her with ideas, thoughts, and inspiration, both good and not-so-flattering. The result is an open dialogue between members and our organization’s top leader, and we learn how we are doing and how we can improve.”

Recently, BoardSource asked Sherri a few questions about her board service:

What inspires you to serve on this particular board?

I serve this organization because I believe in our advertising community. The DC region is often overlooked for the variety of industries we have, and advertising is one of those. We have a really vibrant and creative advertising community that’s made up of agencies, media, PR, technology specialists, photographers, and every other professional that touches the advertising industry. I’m really inspired to show off the contributions that we make as a key part of every business’s needs, and that’s their marketing and advertising.

Read the full post »

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by BoardSource on January 16, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Collaboration, Mission and Vision

Posted by BoardSource on January 16, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/01/16/meet-januarys-board-member-of-the-month/

A Team Approach to Fundraising

1-14-13 teamBy Anne Wallestad, interim chief executive

Last week, CompassPoint and the Haas, Jr. Fund released “UnderDeveloped,” a new report focused on the state of nonprofit fundraising and – more specifically – the challenges that organizations face in recruiting and retaining strong development professionals and the underlying issues that often create those challenges.

As someone focused on the role of boards in leading their organizations and a former development professional, I read this report with great interest. But I think that the report didn’t fully acknowledge the role that fear of fundraising plays in development director success and retention. The report makes reference to a reality of which professional fundraisers are painfully aware: Most people are scared to death of fundraising and avoid it at all costs. The result is that development directors are often in the unfortunate position of trying to convince board members – and even chief executives – to do something that they hate.

According to BoardSource’s 2012 Nonprofit Governance Index, 40 percent of CEOs report that their board is reluctant to actively engage in fundraising. And, if you’re a development director reporting to a chief executive or working with a board that hates to fundraise, the options are quite limited: 1) Stay in the position and risk being blamed for poor fundraising results, or 2) Leave. No surprise, based on the data shared in the report, which was summarized in a Chronicle of Philanthropy article that appeared yesterday, many development directors are opting for the latter.

So what can boards and chief executives do to make sure that their organization doesn’t suffer from this all too common challenge? Well, the report offers a lot of great suggestions, and I would add a few more.

Read the full post »

10 Comments
by Anne Wallestad on January 14, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Development, Board Engagement, Board Recruitment and Orientation, Collaboration, Fundraising

Posted by Anne Wallestad on January 14, 2013

http://exceptionalboards.com/2013/01/14/a-team-approach-to-fundraising/

Meet December’s Board Member of the Month!

12-18-12By BoardSource

BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that George Brymer is the December 2012 Board Member of the Month. BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.

George serves on the board of Mobile Meals of Toledo. Professionally, he is president of All Square Inc., a leadership training business based in Toledo, OH.

In nominating George for the Board Member of the Month Award, Maureen Stevens, executive director of Mobile Meals of Toledo, noted the following:  “George’s insightful and cutting-edge vision has propelled our agency from a solid but relatively small organization to one that is recognized as a leader in the community willing to take on new challenges…George has served on almost every committee of the board, including two years as board president, one year as past-president, and 12 years as president of our Foundation board.”

His board achievements include

  • establishing the Mobile Meals Foundation, a support organization set up to ensure the organization’s long-term ability to serve the Toledo community
  • securing initial funding for the Weekender Program to feed Toledo’s low-income school children over the weekend
  • moving Mobile Meals from a program dependent on local hospitals for its product to a self-sufficient program with multiple vendors and food preparation and storage abilities
  • changing board meeting format from committee reports to 45 minutes of in-depth discussions on topics and issues affecting the organization

Recently, BoardSource asked George a few questions about his board service:

What led you to serve on the Mobile Meals of Toledo board?

I first worked with the organization through a community leadership project with another nonprofit. Later, a friend of mine who was a member of the board and who knew of my leadership experience, invited me to join the board as its president-elect. The person who had been president-elect was leaving the community. I was a little surprised, but I did it anyway. 

Read the full post »

2 Comments
by BoardSource on December 18, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Collaboration, Mission and Vision

Posted by BoardSource on December 18, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/12/18/meet-decembers-board-member-of-the-month/

“What is the one leadership quality or attribute that is absolutely necessary for a board chair?”

12-4-12By Mindy R. Wertheimer

That was the question posed to me by a colleague.

If you Google leadership attributes, you will discover lists and lists of attributes with many similarities — but no agreement on the absolute one. Even in The Board Chair Handbook, I list multiple leadership qualities without identifying “the one” that is absolutely necessary for a board chair.

Some common attributes on these lists include good communicator, passionate about the mission, visionary, respectful, motivates others, genuine, intelligent, and shows integrity.

Regardless of which list you prefer to reference, there does emerge one implicit quality that should be embraced in order to effectively execute any of the top 5, 10, or 15 leadership attributes. The one quality is a willingness to be self-reflective in critically answering two questions:

1.     How am I doing in applying these attributes to my role and responsibilities as a board chair?

2.     What do I need to do differently in order to be a more effective board chair governing in the best interests of the nonprofit? (I’m sensing integrity and humility are part of the equation.)

Read the full post »

1 Comment
by BoardSource on December 4, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Development, Board Meetings, Committees, and Structure, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Strategic Planning and Thinking

Posted by BoardSource on December 4, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/12/04/what-is-the-one-leadership-quality-or-attribute-that-is-absolutely-necessary-for-a-board-chair/

Have You Thought About Volunteering on a Nonprofit Board?

By Anne Wallestad, chief operating officer

Are you looking to make a BIG difference in your community?  Have you considered joining a nonprofit board?

Individuals who are serving on boards are shaping the future of their organizations and helping to ensure that the organization is fulfilling its mission, serving its community, and sustaining its own success.

And nonprofit organizations need people like you on their board:

  • Are you committed to sharing your time and talents to help make the world a better place?
  • Do you have specialized skills or expertise that could  benefit a nonprofit organization?
  • Are you able to be an enthusiastic advocate for an organization and encourage others to get involved too?

If so, then serving on a board might be a great way for you to make a real difference.

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1 Comment
by Anne Wallestad on November 29, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Diversity and Inclusion, Board Recruitment and Orientation, Mission and Vision

Posted by Anne Wallestad on November 29, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/11/29/have-you-thought-about-volunteering-on-a-nonprofit-board/

We have our first winner!

By BoardSource

Thousands of people give their time, talent, voice, and resources to help strengthen nonprofits, their communities, and the world through volunteer board service. Many go above the call of duty to effectuate change in their organizations and communities. E. Ethelbert Miller is one of those people, and BoardSource and Points of Light are pleased to announce that he is the first winner of the Board Member of the Month award!

BoardSource and Points of Light created the Board Member of the Month award to honor outstanding individuals for their commitment to advancing the public good through exceptional nonprofit board leadership.  In the first month, we received more than 65 nominations from highly qualified candidates; Ethelbert stood out.

Ethelbert serves as the board chair of  Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), a nonprofit think-thank that is located in Washington, D.C. In addition to serving IPS, he is an accomplished poet and director of Howard University’s African American Resource Center.

In nominating Ethelbert for this prestigious recognition, John Cavanagh, director of IPS, remarked, “Ethelbert is the best supervisor I’ve ever had. He pushes me. He throws out new ideas every week, and he follows up on them in our regular [monthly] meetings. He pushes the envelope of what think tanks should and can experiment with, and he pushes me to experiment…”

What more could an executive director ask for? Help reaching new audiences? Skill at running productive board meetings? Increased visibility for the organization? Fundraising assistance?  Ethelbert excels at all. Recently, BoardSource asked him a few questions about his board service:

Read the full post »

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by BoardSource on November 20, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Board-Chief Executive Partnership, Collaboration

Posted by BoardSource on November 20, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/11/20/we-have-our-first-winner/

The Tale of the Chicken and the Egg

By Deborah Davidson, vice president of governance education and research

So many of life’s issues boil down to a chicken and egg problem. In today’s tale, meaning no disrespect, the “chicken” is an organizational vision and the “egg” is hiring a new executive director. The subject organization is a venerated Washington, D.C., institution, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, which is also an art school. Its gorgeous Beaux Arts building, a National Historic Landmark very near the White House, is open to bidders and a new location is being scouted, much to the chagrin of arts lovers, former students, and preservationists. (Shades of the Barnes Collection, which recently was moved to Philadelphia amid gigantic controversy.)

According to The Washington Post, the board is currently tasked with developing a new vision for the organization – a plan that will chart a course for the school and gallery. Meanwhile, it also is tasked with replacing the executive director; the current director is serving on an interim basis and must be replaced by next June.

See the chicken and egg problem? Which comes first, the vision or the new executive director?

The board chair, Harry Hopper, says the board doesn’t want to get too specific in its vision, pending the hiring of a new director: “We were advised that we could not attract the caliber of leadership on the content side that we needed without having a well-thought-out framework, and that’s what we’re working on.”

But he goes on to say, “We don’t claim to have a granular playbook on how a new leader is supposed to execute a vision. We have come up with a framework within which a visionary leader can allow the institution to flourish. Exactly what shape that takes is an organic process that will be led by the new leadership that we bring in.”

It strikes me as an almost impossible task: figure out a framework for the visionary leader to grow the organization…without knowing what the vision is. If I were on that board, I would devote all the resources in my power to doing one of the most, if not the most, critical job of the board: find that new visionary leader NOW, and work out the vision together.

What do you think? Can you build your organization’s vision without an executive director? Can you hire an executive director without a vision in place? What would you do?

 

 

2 Comments
by Deborah Davidson on November 6, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Chief Executive Transitions, Mission and Vision

Posted by Deborah Davidson on November 6, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/11/06/the-tale-of-the-chicken-and-the-egg/

Why Is “Volunteer” a Dirty Word?

lady with a haloBy Anne Wallestad, chief operating officer

I’ve gotten myself into trouble before by referring to board members as volunteers. It’s usually in the context of celebrating or thanking a board member for all of their hard work, which is done without compensation, and — to me — is the ultimate form of volunteerism and service.

But it seems the term “volunteer” is perceived by some board members to diminish the leadership role that they play for their organizations. That somehow, acknowledging the fact that most board members give their time freely, without compensation, and do so purely for the benefit of a mission that they care about is…bad?

At BoardSource, we believe that board service is an important part of the service continuum, and that individuals that are serving on boards are engaging in a highly skilled, year-round, sustainable form of volunteerism that has enormous impact on the nonprofit organization. Individuals that are serving on boards are shaping the future of their organizations, and helping to ensure that the organization is fulfilling its mission, serving its community, and sustaining its own success.

We believe that board members are the quintessential volunteers. But we also know that oftentimes when people think about volunteerism, they don’t immediately think of board service. Instead, they might think about a volunteer day, or a tutoring program, or even a pro-bono service project.

That’s why when we decided to honor the incredible efforts that individual board members make every single day, we knew that we needed to team up with Points of Light, an organization that promotes and celebrates volunteerism in all of its forms, including board service.

Launched earlier this month, the Board Member of the Month Award honors individual board members who share their talents, skills, and passions to advance the public good. My hope is that this partnership will highlight the amazing ways that board members give their time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of their organizations.

And maybe, just maybe, it will also change the way that we look at board service, and we’ll begin seeing it for what it really is: an example of how individuals can make an enormous difference in their communities…by volunteering.

2 Comments
by Anne Wallestad on October 10, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Board Engagement, Innovation

Posted by Anne Wallestad on October 10, 2012

http://exceptionalboards.com/2012/10/10/why-is-volunteer-a-dirty-word/

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